Convertible boot retaining means



Dec. 1965 J. H. WERNIG ETAL 3,222,103

CONVERTIBLE BOOT RETAINING MEANS Original Filed Sept. 19, 1962 75INVENTOR! 80 70 7g M ATTOR Y United States Patent Office 3,222,133Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,222,103 CGNVERTIBLE BOOT RETAINING MEANS JamesH. Wernig, Birmingham, and Virgil R. Hallenhech,

Royal (Bait, Mich, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich, a corporation of Delaware Continuation of abandoned applicationSer. No. 224,873, Sept. 1), 1962. This application Dec. 24, 1963, Ser.No.

Claims. (Cl. 296136) This is a continuation of United States patentapplication No. 224,873 filed September 19, 1962, and since abandoned.

This invention relates to a fabric boot for a convertible top receivingwell formed in an automotive vehicle body and particularly contemplatesan improved boot construction wherein the button snaps normally used tosecure such a convertible top boot on the vehicle body are replaced withan improved, relatively simple and inexpensive boot securing and tensingmeans which eliminates the coincidental spacing required by conventionalbody and boot mounted buttons and snaps and thus facilitates themanufacture, installation and removal of such boots.

In accordance with the invention, a belt molding of relatively smoothupper contour is secured to a pinchweld forming the belt line of thevehicle body and defines the rear and lateral edges of the convertibletop well. The outer portion of this molding terminates in a dependingflange forming a continuous inwardly directed recess. A plurality ofhooks are spaced at intervals on the relatively stiff, reinforced rearand lateral edges of the boot. These hooks are engageable with therecessed outer flange of the belt molding and cooperate to secure theboot against fabric tensioning forces applied thereto by suitable meansresiliently securing the transverse forward edge of the boot to a topwell defining seat back.

The foregoing and other objects, advantages and features of theinvention will be apparent from the following description of severalillustrative embodiments having reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a convertible vehicle bodywith the top down and having a top well closing dust boot securedthereon in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken in theplane indicated at 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is similar to a portion of FIGURE 2 and shows a slightlymodified form of the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating thedetails of a spring clip particularly adapted to secure a belt moldingsuch as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 on the belt line pinchweld of thevehicle body.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, FIGURE 1 is a three-quarterview showing a rear portion of a convertible type vehicle body having awell adapted to receive a foldable top. Such vehicles generally have adust boot 12 removably mounted and adapted to cover the top well whenthe top is retracted or folded to its down position. The top wellopening generally extends transversely of the vehicle body between aseat back partially shown at 16 and a transverse rear body panel 14immediately forward of a rear compartment deck lid 15. Linkage-receivingforward extensions of the well laterally flank the rear seat. The boot12 generally conforms to but slightly exceeds and thus overlies theperipheral dimensions of the top well opening.

As shown in the broken-way cross-sectional view of FIGURE 2, the dustboot 12 may be made of any suitable wind and weather impervious fabricor plastic sheet material. The transverse forward edge of the boot ispreferably strengthened and stiffened by a series of folds 18 which maybe stitched or otherwise suitably bonded together. A forward bootretaining and tensioning member 21) preferably formed of resilientplastic material is suitably secured to and extends outwardly anddownwardly from the forward boot edge reinforcing folds 18. This bootretaining member has a wire-reinforced bead 22 slidably mounted andpivotally retained within a cooperating channel member 24 suitablysecured as shown to the seat back 16. The channel member 24 extendstransversely of the seat back and is constricted upwardly so as toretain the beaded portion of the member 20.

The rear and side edges of the boot 12 illustrated in FIGURE 2 arereinforced and stiffened by a laminated construction includingreinforcing members 26 and 28 suitably secured to the adjacentundersurface of the upper boot material. These reinforcing memberspreferably extend continuously along the rear and lateral periphery ofthe boot. A finishing strip 30 is crirnped over and secured to thelaminated outer periphery or edges of the boot. A book forming member32, of a rigid or semiresilient material such as a suitable relativelystiff plastic, is secured to the laminated end edge adjacent undersideof the boot. This hook forming member may be in the form of a continuousstrip having a plurality of depending and inwardly bent hook formingtongues 34' or it may be one of a plurality of such members spaced alongthe outer periphery of the boot and collectively providing a pluralityof spaced belt molding engageable hooks. The hooks or inwardly directedtongues 34 depending from each hook forming member are spaced inwardly amarginal distance from the adjacent periphery of the boot 12 so as toprovide a boot edge portion overhanging the belt molding.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the transverse rear wall of the top well includesa channeled body member 36 which terminates upwardly in an angled flangeforming a pinchweld joint with a mating edge of the body panel 14. Theflanged lower portion of the member 36 is similarly welded to theadjacent edge of a transverse body member 38. An inner top well bag andthe folding fabric top are partially and respectively shown at 40 and42. These fabric members are suitably secured to the member 36 as shownby cap screws 44, a rubber spacer and sealing strip 46 and a cooperatingseal gripping element 48.

An exterior finish molding 50 is suitably secured to the belt linepinchweld formed by the mating edges of the body members 14 and 36. Thismolding defines the rear and lateral outer edges of the top wellopening. In the illustrative embodiment, the molding Si) is secured tothe belt line pinchweld by means of a plurality of spaced spring clips52 described in greater detail below with reference to FIGURE 4. Arelatively smooth upper surface provided on the molding 50 terminatesoutwardly in a reversely bent depending flange 54. This flange forms aninwardly directed recess 56 extending continuously along the rear andlateral edges of the top well. The recess 56 is adapted to receive thedepending hooks or tongues 34 of the hook forming member or members 32to thereby secure and prohibit any forward or lateral movement of thebody mounted boot. It should be noted that the inward marginal spacingof the forward boot retaining member 20 and of the rear and sidesecuring hooks 34 allow the peripheral edges of the boot to conceal theboot fastening means from view.

To install the boot 12 in proper position closing the top well, thebeaded portion of the forward boot retainer 20 is slidably inserted inthe constricted channel of the seat back mounted member 24 and the bootis then centered over the well. The outer periphery of the boot is nextmanually tensioned against the forward boot retainer 20 so as to drawthe tongues of the several hooks 34 successively over the flange 54 ofthe belt molding 50.

As this is done, each hook or tongue is properly inserted into theadjacent molding recess 56. This process is repeated for each hookprovided around the outer rear and lateral periphery of the boot. Thetension provided by the forward boot retainer 20 smoothly tenses andmaintains the boot in proper position closing the well. Removal of theboot is accomplished by reversing the above procedure.

In the alternative construction shown in FIGURE 3, the rear and outerside edges of the boot 12" have a laminated construction includingspaced reinforcing members 58 and 59. A relatively stiff semi-resilienthooking member is interposed between these boot edge reinforcing membersand has a plurality of spaced depending and inwardly-directed hooks ortongues 62. These tongues protrude through perforations provided in themember 59 and are spaced inwardly of the adjacent periphery of the boot12'. As described with reference to the hook forming member shown inFIGURE 2, the hook forming member 60 may be continuous in form or aplurality of such members may be spaced at intervals around the rear andlateral periphery of the boot 12. As before, a finishing strip or member64 is crimped over and secured to the outer laminated edges of thisboot. A slightly modified belt molding 50 is secured by a plurality ofspaced spring clips 52 mounted on the belt line pinch- Weld. Thismodified molding extends around the rear and lateral edges of the topwell opening and terminates outwardly in a downwardly inclined andreversely bent flange 66 defining a hook receiving recess 68 angledinwardly and upwardly at an acute angle with respect to the body panel14.

To install the boot 12', the forward edge is preferably secured to theseat back 16 in the manner shown and described with reference to FIGURE2. Tension is then applied outwardly of the boot so as to insert thetongues or hooks 62 of the hook forming member or members 60successively within the inclined recess 68 of the belt molding 50.Because of the cooperating inclination of the molding flange 66 and ofthe recess 68, the hook secured outer periphery of the boot is directeddownwardly toward the body panel 14 thus smoothly tensing the boot withrespect to the belt molding and improving the mounted appearance of theboot by minimizing the space occurring between the boot edge finishingmember 64 and the body panel 14.

As previously stated and best shown in the enlarged cross-sectional viewof FIGURE 4, the molding mounting spring clips 52 spacedly mounted onthe belt line pinchweld have opposing spring legs engageable with thepinchweld and adapted to deflect and retain opposing spring portionsformed by the belt molding. In the illustrative clip, the bight remoteend of the lower spring leg 70 is pierced to form a barb 74 engageablewith a suitable clip retaining indentation provided in the adjacentflangeformed surface of the body member 36. This barb maintains theadjacent end 72 of the lower spring leg in slightly spaced inclinedrelation to the upper flange of the member 36 and prevents the clip frombeing withdrawn from its pinchweld mounted position. The upper portionof the illustrative clip is pierced to form a pinchweld engageablespring leg 75 flanked by an upwardly inclined and transversely bowedramp portion 77. The outer bight remote end 76 of this ramp portionforms a belt molding retaining shoulder and engages a ramp supportingvertical rise 78 formed on the body panel 14. Either belt molding 50 or50 may be resiliently forced over and into retaining engagement with theseveral pinchweld mounted clips. When the belt molding is forceablymounted on the several spring clips, the lower end portion of thereversely bent depending flange 54 or 66 on the molding is deflectedupwardly until it passes over and slips into retaining engagement withthe outer shouldered ends 76 of the clips 52. During such upwarddeflection of the molding flange 54 or 66, an Opp sing lower flange 4 onthe belt molding is deflected downwardly by the barbed lower leg of eachspring clip until a vertical step or shoulder 82 formed on this lowermolding flange passes into retaining engagement with the bight remoteend 72 of the lower spring clip leg.

While the invention has been described with reference to severalillustrative embodiments, it will be apparent that various modificationsand changes might be made therein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well openingtransversely of the body,

means on the vehicle body forming a recess opening outwardly of the bodyaway from an adjacent edge of the body defining one side of the wellopening,

a dust boot for closing said Well having a reinforced edge portionoverlying said recess forming means,

a plurality of books mounted inwardly and on the undersurface of saidreinforced boot edge portion at spaced intervals and each of said hookshaving a depending tongue portion extending inwardly of the boot fromthe adjacent boot edge,

said hook tongue portions being insertable into and maintainable in bootretaining engagement within said recess by tensioning forces normallyapplied to the body secured boot,

and resilient means securing a second boot edge portion opposite saidreinforced hook mounting edge portion to an adjacent corresponding edgeof the body well opening,

said resilient boot securing means being deflectable in directionlongitudinally of the body to permit insertion of the several bootretaining hooks within said recess and to tension the boot smoothly tomaintain hook retaining engagement therein.

2. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well openingtransversely of the body,

a dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose the well when the top isretracted therein,

means forming a continuous recess parallel to and closely spaced from anadjacent edge of the body well opening,

a boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of the boot edgeportion overlying said recess and having a plurality of perforationsspaced at intervals and at a marginal distance paralleling the adjacentboot edge,

a plurality of resilient boot retaining elements spacedly mountedintermediate said reinforcing member and the boot edge portion securedthereto and each of said elements having a flexible depending portionextending through an adjacent perforation in the boot reinforcing memberand insertable for boot retaining engagement within said recess,

and cooperating means securing the boot edge portion opposite saidresilient boot retaining elements to an adjacent corresponding edge ofthe body well open- 111g,

one of said cooperating means being resiliently deflectable to permitinsertion of the flexible depending portions of the several boot mountedresilient elements within said recess and subsequently tensioning theboot edge secured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of saiddepending portions within said recess.

3. In a vehicle body having a convertible top well opening transverselyof the body,

a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top isretracted therein,

means yieldably securing a first boot edge portion to an adjacentcorresponding edge of the body well opening,

a finish molding secured to a second well opening body edge oppositesaid first body opening and forming a continuous recess openinglaterally outwardly of the body and away from the body well opening,

a boot reinforcing member secured to the undersurface of a second bootedge portion overlying said finish molding and perforated at spacedintervals parallel to the adjacent boot edge,

a plurality of resilient elements each having a flanged portion mountedintermediate said boot reinforcing member and the boot edge portionsecured thereto and a flexible hook portion depending through anadjacent perforation in the boot reinforcing member and extendinginwardly of the boot from the adjacent boot edge,

said flexible hook portions being insertable into and maintainable inboot retaining engagement within the adjacent recessed opening formed bythe finish molding,

and said first boot edge securing means yieldably providing limited bootmovement thereby permitting boot retaining insertion of the flexiblehook portions of the several boot mounted resilient elements within theadjacent molding recess and smoothly tensioning the boot edge securedthereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said depending hookportions within said recessed molding.

4. In a vehicle body having a convertible top housing well openingupwardly and transversely of the body,

a dust boot adapted to overlie and close the well when the top isretracted therein,

means yieldably securing a transverse forward portion of the boot to acorresponding forward edge of the body well opening,

a belt finish molding secured to the body adjacent the outer peripheralrear and side edges of the Well opening and recessed longitudinally andinwardly from the outer edge of the molding toward the adjacent edges ofthe body well opening,

stiif pliable means secured to and reinforcing the outer peripheralportions of the boot overlying said belt molding,

a plurality of resilient hooks depending from the undersurface of saidreinforced boot portions at spaced intervals and extending inwardly ofthe boot at a marginal distance parallel to the adjacent boot edge andsaid hooks being insertable into and maintainable in boot retainingengagement within the adjacent recess formed by the belt molding,

and said forward boot edge securing means being deflectable indirections longitudinally of the body to permit limited horizontal bootmovement and boot retaining insertion of said resilient hooks within theadjacent belt molding recess and to smoothly tension the boot edgesecured thereby to maintain boot retaining engagement of said dependinghooks within said recessed molding.

5. A pliable dust boot adapted to overlie and enclose a convertible tophousing well opening transversely of a vehicle body having a belt finishmolding forming a continuous boot retaining recess opening outwardly ofthe body in laterally spaced relation to the outer peripheral edges ofthe body well opening,

relatively stifr pliable webbing secured to the undersurface of the bootand reinforcing the transverse rear and lateral side edge portions ofthe boot overlying saidbelt molding,

said webbing having a plurality of perforations therethrough spaced atintervals and extending parallel to the adjacent edges of the boot,

a plurality of resilient hooks each having a plate portion mountedintermediate the webbing and the boot edge portion secured thereto andforming a lever extending outwardly of the boot and having a hookportion depending through an adjacent perforation in the webbing,

each of said resilient hook portions extending inwardly of the boot fromthe adjacent boot edge and being insertable into and maintainable inboot retaining and tensing engagement within the belt molding formedrecess,

and resilient boot attaching means secured to a transverse forward bootedge portion and cooperable with retaining means mounted on the vehiclebody adjacent the transverse forward edge of the top well opening toprovide limited boot movement transversely and outwardly of the beltmolding to permit insertion of said resilient hook portions within themolding recess and to resiliently tension the body attached bootforwardly so as to maintain said hook portions in boot retainingengagement within the belt molding recess.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,664,309 12/1953Kavalar 296-136 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,252 11/1954 Italy.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

A. HARRY LEVY, Examiner.

1. IN A VEHICLE BODY HAVING A CONVERTIBLE TOP HOUSING WELL OPENINGTRANSVERSELY OF THE BODY, MEANS ON THE VEHICLE BODY FORMING A RECESSOPENING OUTWARDLY OF THE BODY AWAY FROM AN ADJACENT EDGE OF THE BODYDEFINING ONE SIDE OF THE WELL OPENING, A DUST BOOT FOR CLOSING SAID WELLHAVING A REINFORCED EDGE PORTION OVERLYING SAID RECESS FORMING MEANS, APLURALITY OF HOOKS MOUNTED INWARDLY AND ON THE UNDERSURFACE OF SAIDREINFORCED BOOT EDGE PORTION AT SPACED INTERVALS AND EACH OF SAID HOOKSHAVING THE DEPENDING TONGUE PORTION EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE BOOT FROMTHE ADJACENT BOOT EDGE, SAID HOOK TONGUE PORTIONS BEING INSERTABLE INTOAND MAINTAINABLE IN BOOT RETAINING ENGAGEMENT WITHIN SAID RECESS BYTENSIONING FORCES NORMALLY APPLIED TO THE BODY SECURED BOOT, ANDRESILIENT MEANS SECURING A SECOND BOOT EDGE PORTION OPPOSITE SAIDREINFORCED HOOK MOUNTING EDGE PORTION TO AN ADJACENT CORRESPONDING EDGEOF THE BODY WELL OPENING, SAID RESILIENT BOOT SECURING MEANS BEINGDEFLECTABLE IN DIRECTION LONGITUDINALLY OF THE BODY TO PERMIT INSERTIONOF THE SEVERAL BOOT RETAINING HOOKS WITHIN SAID RECESS AND TO TENSIONTHE BOOT SMOOTHLY TO MAINTAIN HOOK RETAINING ENGAGEMENT THEREIN.